Aug.30 (GMM) The FIA has confirmed it will investigate claims that Nelson Piquet was ordered to deliberately crash during last year's Singapore grand prix.

After the sport's first ever night race last September, we reported that it was "ironic" that the Brazilian's heavy crash brought out the safety car and triggered the strategy chaos that sped his teammate Fernando Alonso to the top of the podium.

"I lost the rear of my car. I hit the wall heavily," said Piquet at the time, but he has since been ousted by the Renault team and is furious at his treatment by his former boss and manager Flavio Briatore.

During the broadcast of Sunday's Belgian grand prix, the Brazilian network Globo TV reportedly said it had received information that Piquet was asked to crash on purpose in Singapore.

A spokesman for F1's governing body confirmed to publications that an investigation is underway.